No. 101: Willie O Douglas Dale
[There are no known traditional US or Canadian versions of this ballad. Barry, Britttish Ballads Maine, notes that a Maine woman recognized the whole song, but could not repeat any of it.]
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnote
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Texts A-D (A b is given in Additions and Corrections along with D.)
5. End-Notes (There are no end-notes)
6. Additions and Corrections
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 101. Willie O Douglas Dale
A. Roud No. 65: Willie O Douglas Dale (17 Listings)
2. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A-D)]
3. Sheet Music: 101. Willie O Douglas Dale (Bronson texts- music)
Child's Narrative: Willie o Douglas Dale
A. a. 'Willy o Douglass-dale,' Jamieson-Brown Manuscript, fol. 8.
b. 'Willie of Douglas-dale,' fol. 16.
B. a. 'Dame Oliphant, or, Willie o Douglass Dale,' Buchan Manuscripts, II, 117.
b.'The Earl of Douglas and Dame Oliphant,' Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 181; 'Lord Willie Douglas,' Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 619.
C. 'Douglass Dale,' Kinloch Manuscripts, V, 327.
[D. 'Willie of Duglass Daill,' from "The Old Lady's Collection," No 33.]
A was among the fifteen ballads furnished by Mrs. Brown to William Tytler in 1783, No 8. The first stanza is cited by Dr. Anderson in Nichols's Illustrations, VII, 177. There is a copy in the Abbotsford Manuscript "Scottish Songs," fol. 16, in which the text is considerably altered; stanzas 7, 12, 19, 22-24 are omitted, and 25 is inserted between 30 and 31. B b inserts two stanzas after B a 15, and adds one at the end. The copy in Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, II, 32, is an abridgment of B b as made over in The Ballad Minstrelsy of Scotland, Glasgow, 1871, p. 63. C has an appendage of two stanzas which belong to an other ballad, and are transferred accordingly.
The first part of the story of this ballad, or down to the birth of the boy, is repeated in 'Willie and Earl Richard's Daughter' (hitherto called 'The Birth of Robin Hood'), which immediately follows. This portion of the ballad has resemblances to 'Leesome Brand,' No 15. [1]
A 9, B 15, is a popular passage the like of which is found in many ballads: as 'Child Waters,' A 2, 3; 'Lady Maisry,' H 7, 8; 'Willie o Winsbury,' A 5, C 5, D 3; 'Willie and Earl Richard's Daughter,' A 4; 'Der Ritter und die Magd,' Düntzer u. Herder, Briefe Goethe's, I, 157, st. 6; Nicolai, I, 40, No 2, st. 6; Wunderhorn, 1806, I, 50, st, 11, Erk, IV, 304, st. 5; Erk's Liederhort, p. 81, st. 10; Hoffmann u. Richter, No. 4, st. 4; Meier, Schwäbische Volkslieder, No 177, st. 9; Ditfurth, II, Nos 6, 7, 8, st. 5; Uhland, No 97 A, st. 5; Mittler, No 91, st. 6; 'Schön Elselein,' 'Das Schwabentöchterlein,' Böhme, No 51a st. 11, No 51b, st. 8 (= Mittler, No 218; Uhland, No 257); 'Þiðriks kvæði konúngs,' Islenzk fornkvæði, II, 218, No 57, st. (5; Haupt u. Schmaler, V. 1. der Wenden, 1,160, No 136, st. 7; Sakellarios, #932;ὰ Κυπριακά, III, 52, No 20, vv 5-9; Guillon, Ch. p. de l'Ain, 'La Fille d'un Boulanger,' p. 201, sts 1, 2; Mila, Romancerillo, 'La infanta seducida,' p. 249, No 258, 1. 4; 'De la infanta y el hijo del rey de Francia,' Wolf y Hofmann, Primavera, II, 91, No 158, verses 5, 6; Aigner, Ungarische Volksdichtungen, p. 86, st. 1, p. 215, st. 2.
The very ill-timed question in B 20 occurs in 'Young Hunting,' No 68, K 8, 'Clerk Saunders,' No 69, F 5, Buchan, Ballads of the North of Scotland, 'Auld Matrons,' II, 238, st. 4, and 'Willie's Fatal Visit,' II, 260, st. 7. For others in this passage see 'Rose the Red and White Lily.' The bribe of gowns in B 29 is found in 'Young Hunting,' B 9, C 7, K 13.
The historical foundation for this ballad suggested in The Ballad Minstrelsy of Scotland, Glasgow, 1871, p. 63, cannot be seriously entertained.
Footnote:
1. For the five hundred pounds in A 12, C 4, 5, cf. 'Leesome Brand,' A 12, 18, and the corresponding Scandinavian ballads.
Brief Description by George Lyman Kittredge
A was among the fifteen ballads furnished by Mrs. Brown to William Tytler in 1783. The first part of the story of this ballad, or down to the birth of the hoy, is repeated in No. 102. This portion of the ballad also has resemblances to 'Leesome Brand' (No. 15).
Child Ballad Texts
'Willy o Douglass-dale'- Version A; Child 101 Willie o Douglas Dale
Jamieson-Brown Manuscript, fol. 8.
1 O Willy was as brave a lord
As ever saild the sea,
And he has gane to the English court,
To serve for meat and fee.
2 He had nae been at the king's court
A twelvemonth and a day,
Till he longd for a sight o the king's daughter,
But ane he coud never see.
3 O it fell ance upon a day
To the green wood she has gane,
An Willy he has followd her,
With the clear light o the moon.
4 He looted him low, by her did go,
Wi his hat intill his hand:
'O what's your will wi me, Sir Knight?
I pray keep your hat on.'
5 'O I am not a knight, Madam,
Nor never thinks to be;
For I am Willy o Douglassdale,
An I serve for meat and fee.'
6 'O I'll gang to my bowr,' she says,
'An sigh baith even an morn
That ever I saw your face, Willy,
Or that ever ye was born.
7 'O I'll gang to my bowr,' she says,
'An I'll pray baith night an day,
To keep me frae your tempting looks,
An frae your great beauty.'
8 O in a little after that
He keepit Dame Oliphant's bowr,
As the love that passd between this twa,
It was like paramour.
9 'O narrow, narrow's my gown, Willy,
That wont to be sae wide;
An short, short is my coats, Willy,
That wont to be sae side;
An gane is a' my fair colour,
An low laid is my pride.
10 'But an my father get word of this,
He'll never drink again;
An gin my mother get word of this,
In her ain bowr she'll go brain;
An gin my bold brothers get word this,
I fear, Willy, you'll be slain.'
11 'O will you leave your father's court,
An go along wi me?
I'll carry you unto fair Scotland,
And mak you a lady free.'
12 She pat her han in her pocket
An gae him five hunder poun:
'An take you that now, Squire Willy,
Till awa that we do won.'
13 Whan day was gane, and night was come,
She lap the castle-wa;
But Willy kepit his gay lady,
He was laith to let her fa.
14 Whan night was gane, an day come in,
An lions gaed to their dens,
An ay the lady followd him,
An the tears came hailing down.
15 'O want ye ribbons to your hair?
Or roses to your shoone?
Or want ye as meickle dear bought love
As your ain heart can contain?'
16 'I want nae ribbons to my hair,
Nor roses till my shoone;
An Ohone, alas, for dear bought love!
I have mair nor I can contain.'
17 O he's pu'd the oak in good green wood,
An he's made to her a fire;
He coverd it oer wi withred leaves,
An gard it burn thro ire.
18 He made a bed i the good green wood,
An he's laid his lady down,
An he's coverd her oer wi fig-tree leaves,
But an his ain night-gown.
19 'O had I a bunch o yon red roddins,
That grows in yonder wood,
But an a drink o water clear,
I think it woud do me good.'
20 He's pu'd her a bunch o yon red roddins,
That grew beside yon thorn,
But an a drink o water clear,
Intill his hunting-horn.
21 He's bent his bow, and shot the deer,
An thro the green wood gane,
An ere that he came back again
His lady took travailing.
22 'O up ye tak that horn,' she says,
'An ye blaw a blast for me;
Gin my father be in good green wood,
Sae seen's he'll come me ti.'
23 'O gin there be a man on earth
That ye loo better nor me,
Ye blaw the horn yoursel,' he says,
'For it's never be blawn by me.'
24 O he's bent his bow, an shot the deer,
An thro the green wood has he gane,
An lang or he came back again
His lady bare him a son.
25 O up has he tane his bonny young son,
An washn him wi the milk,
An up has he tane his gay lady,
An rowd her i the silk.
26 He's bent his bow, and shot the deer,
An thro the green wood has he gane,
Till he met wi a well-fard may,
Her father's flock feeding.
27 'Ye leave your father's flock feeding,
An go along wi me;
I'll carry you to a lady fair,
Will gi you both meat and fee.'
28 O whan she came the lady before,
She's fa'n down on her knee:
'O what's your will wi me, my dame?
An a dame you seem to be.'
29 'O I'm Dame Oliphant, the king's daughter,
Nae doubt but ye've heard o me;
Will you leave your father's flock feeding,
An go to Scotlan wi me?
30 'An ye sal get a nouriship
Intill an earldome,
An I will gar provide for the
To marry some brave Scotsman.'
31 The may she keepit the bonny boy,
An Willy led his lady,
Untill they took their fair shippin,
Then quickly hame came they.
32 The win was fair, an the sea was clear,
An they a' wan safe to lan;
He's haild her lady of Douglassdale,
Himsel the lord within.
-----
'Dame Oliphant, or, Willie o Douglass Dale'- Version B a; Child 101; Willie o Douglas Dale
a. Buchan Manuscripts, II, 117.
b. Buchan's Ballads of North of Scotland, II, 181; Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 619.
1 Willie was an earl's ae son,
And an earl's ae son was he,
But he thought his father lack to sair,
And his mother of low degree.
2 But he is on to fair England,
To sair for meat an fee,
And all was for Dame Oliphant,
A woman of great beauty.
3 He hadna been in fair England
A month but barely ane,
Ere he dreamd that fair Dame Oliphant
Gied him a gay gold ring.
4 He hadna been in fair England
A month but barely four,
Ere he dreamd that fair Dame Oliphant
Gied him a red rose flower,
Well set about with white lilies,
Like to the paramour.
5 It fell ance upon a day
Dame Oliphant thought lang,
And she gaed on to good green wood,
As fast as she could gang.
6 As Willie stood in his chamber-door,
And as he thought it good,
There he beheld Dame Oliphant,
As she came thro the wood.
7 He's taen his bow his arm oer,
His sword into his hand,
And he is on to good green wood,
As fast as he could gang.
8 And there he found Dame Oliphant,
Was lying sound asleep,
And aye the sounder she did sleep
The nearer he did creep.
9 But when she wakend from her sleep
An angry maid was she,
Crying, Had far away frae me, young man,
Had far away frae me!
For I fear ye are the Scottish knight
That beguiles young ladies free.
10 'I am not the Scottish knight,
Nor ever thinks to be;
I am but Willie o Douglass Dale,
That serves for meat an fee.'
11 'If ye be Willie o Douglass Dale,
Ye're dearly welcome to me;
For oft in my sleep have I thought on
You and your merry winking ee.'
12 But the cocks they crew, and the horns blew,
And the lions took the hill,
And Willie he gaed hame again,
To his hard task and till;
And likewise did Dame Oliphant,
To her book and her seam.
13 Till it fell ance upon a day
Dame Oliphant thought lang,
And she went on to Willie's bower-yates,
As fast as she could gang.
14 'O are ye asleep now, Squire Willie?
O are you asleep?' said she;
O waken, waken, Squire Willie,
O waken, and speak to me.
15 'For the gowns that were oer wide, Willie,
They winna meet on me,
And the coats that were oer side, Willie,
They winna come to my knee;
And if the knights of my father's court get word,
I'm sure they'll gar you die.'
* * * * *
16 But she's taen a web of the scarlet,
And she tare it fine an sma,
And even into Willie's arms
She leapt the castle-wa;
And Willie was wight and well able,
And he keept her frae a fa.
17 But the cocks they crew, and the horns blew,
And the lions took the hill,
And Willie's ladie followed him,
And the tears did twinkle still.
18 'O want ye ribbons to your hair?
Or roses to your sheen?
Or want ye chains about your neck?
Ye'se get mair ere that be deen.'
19 'I want not ribbons to my hair,
Nor roses to my sheen,
And there's mair chains about my neck
Nor ever I'll see deen;
But I have as much dear bought love
As my heart can contain.'
20 'Will ye go to the cards or dice?
Or to the table ee?
Or to a bed, so well down spread,
And sleep till it be day?'
21 I've mair need of the roddins, Willie,
That grow on yonder thorn;
Likewise a drink o Marywell water,
Out of your grass-green horn.
22 'I've mair need of a fire, Willie,
To had me frae the cauld;
Likewise a glass of your red wine,
Ere I bring my son to the fauld.'
23 He's got a bush o roddins till her,
That grows on yonder thorn;
Likewise a drink o Marywell water,
Out of his grass-green horn.
24 He carried the match in his pocket
That kindled to her the fire,
Well set about wi oaken spells,
That leamd oer Lincolnshire.
25 And he has bought to his lady
The white bread and the wine;
And the milk he milked from the goats,
He fed his young son on.
26 Till it fell ance upon a day
Dame Oliphant thought lang:
'O gin ye hae a being, Willie,
I pray ye hae me hame.'
27 He's taen his young son in his arms,
His lady by the hand,
And they're down thro good green wood,
As fast as they could gang.
28 Till they came to a shepherd-may,
Was feeding her flocks alone;
Said, Will ye gae alang wi me,
And carry my bonny young son?
29 The gowns that were shapen for my back,
They shall be sewd for thine;
And likewise I'll gar Squire Willie
Gie you a braw Scotsman.
30 When they came on to Willie's bower-yates,
And far beyont the sea,
She was haild the lady o Douglass Dale,
And Willie an earl to be:
Likewise the maid they brought awa,
She got a braw Scotsman.
-----------
'Douglass Dale'- Version C; Child 101 Willie o Douglas Dale
Kinloch Manuscripts, V, 327, in the handwriting of Dr. John Hill Burton.
1 Sweet Sir William of Douglas Dale,
A knight's ae son was he;
He dreamed of dear Dame Oliphant,
Lang ere he did her see.
2 He dreamed a woman of great beauty
Gave him a red rose flower,
Well busket about wi the lillies white,
Just like the paramour.
3 O sweet Sir William of Douglas Dale,
A knight's ae son was he,
And he is on to the king's high court,
To serve for meat and fee.
* * * * *
4 Five hundred pounds of Spanish gold,
Tied in a towal so white,
And that she has given her Lord William,
Out oer the castle-dyke.
5 Five hundred pounds of Spanish gold,
Tied in a towel sae sma,
And that she has given her own true-love,
Out ore the castle-wa.
6 She rowed hersell in a robe o silk,
To loup the castle-wa;
He ceppet her in his armes twa,
And he let not her get a fa.
* * * * *
7 The cocks do craw, and the day does daw,
And the wild fowl bodes on hill;
The lassie she followed her Sweet William,
And let the tears down fall.
* * * * *
8 'O want you ribbons to your hair?
Or roses to your sheen?
Or want ye as much of feel daft love
As your heart can contain?'
9 'I want nor ribbons to my hair,
Nor roses to my sheen;
I've got as much o dear bought love
As my heart can contain.'
* * * * *
10 He carried a flint in his pocket,
And he strack to her a fire,
And he buskit it roun wi the leaves o oak,
And gart it burn wi ire.
11 He's taen his big coat him about,
And his gun into his hand,
And he has gone to good green wood,
To kill some venison.
12 He's taen his big coat him about,
And his gun into his han,
But lang ere he came back again
She bare his dear young son.
13 He rowed her in his muckle coat,
But in his good night-gown,
And he fed her wi the good goat-milk,
Till she was well able to gang.
14 He's taen his young son in his arm,
His lady in his hand,
And they are down thro good green wood,
As fast as they can gang.
15 And they came to a shepherd's daughter,
Was feeding at her sheep;
Says, Will ye go to Douglass Dale,
Wi my yong son to keep?
16 O I will gee you gold, maiden,
And I will gee you fee,
Gin ye will go to Douglas Dale,
Wi my yong son and me.
17 She's taen his young son in her arm,
And kissed baith cheek and chin;
Says, I will go to Douglas Dale,
As fast as I can win.
18 He's taen his big coat him about,
And his lady in his hand,
And they are off to Douglas Dale,
As fast as they can gang.
19 And when they came to Douglas Dale
A happy man was he,
For his lady, and his young son,
And his nurse, a' three.
--------
'Willie of Duglass Daill'- Version D; Child 101 Willie o Douglas Dale
From "The Old Lady's Collection," No 33, 'Willie of Duglass Daill.'
1 Willie was a rich man's son,
A rich man's son was he;
Hee thought his father lake to sair,
An his mother of mine digree,
An he is on to our English court,
To serve for meatt an fee.
2 He hadno ben in our king's court
A tuall-month an a day,
Till he fell in love we Mary, Dem [Ele]fon,
An a great buity was she.
3 He hadno ben in our king's court
A tuall-month an a houre,
Till he dreamed a lady of buty bright
Gave him a rosey flour.
4 The lady touk her mantell her about,
Her gooun-teall in her hand,
An she is on to gued grean woud,
As fast as she could gang.
5 . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
An ther she spayed a gellant knight,
Kamen his yallou hear.
6 'What is yer name, sir knight?
For a knight I am sure ye be;'
'I am called Willie of Duglas Dall,
Did ye never hear of me?'
'If ye be Willie of Duglass Daill,
I afft have heard of thee.'
7 'What is yer name, ye lovely dame?
For a lady I trou ye be;'
'I am called Mary, Dem Elefond,
Did ye never hear of me?'
8 'In ye be Mary, Dem Elefon,
As I trust well ye be,
. . . . . . .
My heart ye haa ye we.'
9 The lady was fair an rear,
The knight's heart had she;
The knight was tall an straght withall,
The lady's hart had he.
10 It fell ance upon a day
Dem Elofen thought lang,
An she is on to Willie's bour,
As fast as she could gang.
11 'Narrou is my pettecot, Willie,
It ance was saa wide,
An narrou is my stays, Willie,
Att ance wer saa wide,
An paill is my chikes, Willie,
An laigh, laigh is my pride.
12 '. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
An the knights of my father's court gat word of this,
I feer they wad gare ye diee.'
13 He touke . . . . . . . . .
The lady by the hand,
An they are one to gued green woud,
As fast as they coud gang.
14 It fell ance upon a day
Strong travileng came her tell,
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
15 'Ye take your boue on yer shoulder,
Yer arrous in yer hand,
An ye gaa farr throu green woud,
An shout some veneson.
16 'Fan ye hear me loud cray,
Bide far awaa fra me,
Bat fan ye hear me laying still
Ye may come back an see.'
17 Fan he hard her loud cray,
He bad far awaa,
Bat fan he heard her laying still
He did come an see,
An he got her
An her young son her wee.
18 He milked the goats,
An feed his young son wee,
And he made a fire of the oken speals,
An warmed his lady wee.
19 It fell ance upon a day
The lady though[t] lang:
'An ye haa any place in fair Scotland, Willie,
I wiss ye wad haa me hame.'
20 '. . . . . . .
I ha lands an reants saa friee,
The bonny lands of Duglass Daill,
They a' lay bread an friee.'
21 He's taen the knight-bairn in his arms,
His lady by the hand,
An he is out throu gued green woud,
As fast as they coud gang.
22 . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
Till they came to a maid kepping her goats,
. . . . . . . .
23 'Hall , ye maid,
For a maid ye seem to be;
Will ye live your goats kepping
An goo we me?
24 'I cannot live my father, I canno live my midder,
Nor yet my brethren three;
I cannot live my goats kepping,
An goo along we the.
25 'Fatt is your name, ye lovely dame?
For a lady I am shour ye be;'
'I am called Mary, Dem Elifond,
Did ye nver hear of me?'
26 'If ye be Mary, Dem Elifond,
As I trust weel ye be,
I will live my goats kepping
An goo along we the.
27 'For I will live my father, an I ill live my mother,
An my brothers three,
An I will live my goats,
An go along we thee.'
28 The maid touke the knight-bairn in her ar[m]s,
An his lady took he,
An they are to gued ship-bourd,
And took God to be ther foresteed, an didne fear to droun.
29 An they landed att Duglas Dalle,
Far the lands was briad an frie,
An the knight-bairn was Black Sir James of Duglas Dall,
An a gallant knight was hee.
End-Notes
A. The stanzas are written in the Manuscript in two long lines. The first stanza, as given by Anderson, is:
Willie was as brave a lord
As ever saild the sea,
And he 's gone to the English court,
To serve for meat and fee.
13. Enlish.
62, 72, 141, 241. & for an.
224. tie (?).
241. the bow.
B. a. 273. And there.
b. 151. Omits For.
After 15, inserts:
'Dame Oliphant, Dame Oliphant,
A king's daughter are ye;
But woud ye leave your father and mother,
And gang awa wi me?'
'O I woud leave my father and mother,
And the nearest that eer betide,
And I woud nae be feard to gang,
Gin ye war by my side.'
174. trinkle.
193. there are.
194. Then ever.
202. table play.
232. grow.
264. pray you.
After 30, inserts:
And lang and happy did they live,
But now their days are deen,
And in the kirk o sweet Saint Bride
Their graves are growing green.
Motherwell makes some alterations in his copy:
as 12, laigh to sair;
124, and toil; whateer, in the second line of the second inserted stanza, above; besides others which are purely arbitrary. He has table eye in 202, where Buchan prints table play, and living, with being written over, in 262.
C. 31, 81, 161. Oh.
63. ceppit?
161,2. gie?
There are appended to this version two stanzas of which Burton says: The reciter of this ballad is obstinate in persisting that the last two stanzas belong to it. They are evidently taken from 'The Birth of Robin Hood,' and have no connection with this ballad. See the following ballad.
Additions and Corrections
Pp. 407, 409, A 142, B 122, 'An lions gaed to their dens,' 'And the lions took the hill.' "Lions we have had verie manie in the north parts of Scotland, and those with maines of no less force than they of Mauritania are sometimes reported to be; but how and when they were destroied as yet I doo not read:" Holinshed, I, 379.
P. 407. A. Collated with the copy in the Abbotsford Manuscript "Scottish Songs," as to which see the note at IV, 387.
'Willie of Douglas-dale,' fol. 16.
11. was a gallant squire.
21. the English court.
23. When.
24. But her he neer could.
31. once.
32. the wanting.
34. By the ae.
41. louted low.
42. His cap low in his.
43. I greet ye well, ye gentle knight.
44. your cap.
51. knight, fair dame.
52. Nor eer can hope.
53. am but a humble squire.
54. That serves.
61. Gae.
62. baith night.
63. tempting written before face and struck out.
64. ever I.
7 wanting.
82. He watchd that ladye's.
83. passd the twa between.
91. O narrow is my gown, Willy.
93. And short are my petticoats.
94. sae wide.
96. is laid.
101. gin my father get wit.
102. never eat.
103,5. get wit.
104. gae.
106. Ah, Willy, you'll.
111. O gin ye'll.
112. gang.
113. into.
12 wanting.
141. day was come.
142. den.
143. That gentle ladye.
144. While the.
153,4. Or lack ye ony tender love
That may assuage your pain.
161. wan na.
162. for my.
163. And alas, alas.
171. He's felld the thorn in.
172. And blawn it to a flame.
173. He's strewdit.
174. To cheer that lovely dame.
181. He's: in gude.
182. And laid the fair ladye.
183. he's happed her oer wi withered.
184. his coat and goun.
19 wanting.
201. branch red.
202. grew in gude grene wood.
203. And brought her a draught.
204. I wot they did her good.
21-23 wanting.
241. to shoot.
242. has he wanting.
25 (after 30).
261,2. Syne has he sought the forest through,
Sum woman's help to gain.
263. he came to a bonny.
271. O will ye leave the sheep, he says.
272. And come.
273. ye.
274. give.
282. She fell down.
283. fair dame.
284. For a.
292. but wanting.
293. ye: flocks.
294. And gang to fair.
303. for you.
304. marry wanting: Scottish man.
After 30 (see 25):
O taen has she the bonny knave-boy
And washd him in the milke,
And she has tended the sick lady,
And rowd her in the silk.
311. maid.
313. took to fair.
321. an wanting.
323. they gat safe.
324. Himself was lord therein.
411. From "The Old Lady's Collection," No 33, 'Willie of Duglass Daill.' The Dame Oliphant of the other versions is somewhat disguised in the old lady's writing as Demelefond, Demelofen, etc.
D.
1 Willie was a rich man's son,
A rich man's son was he;
Hee thought his father lake to sair,
An his mother of mine digree,
An he is on to our English court,
To serve for meatt an fee.
2 He hadno ben in our king's court
A tuall-month an a day,
Till he fell in love we Mary, Dem [Elejfon,
An a great buity was she.
3 He hadno ben in our king's court
A tuall-month an a houre,
Till he dreamed a lady of buty bright
Gave him a rosey flour.
4 The lady touk her mantel! her about,
Her gooun-teall in her hand,
An she is on to gued grean woud,
As fast as she could gang.
5 . . .
. . .
An ther she spayed a gellant knight,
Kamen his yallou hear.
6 'What is yer name, sir knight?
For a knight I am sure ye be;'
'I am called Willie of Duglas Dall,
Did ye never hear of me?'
If ye be Willie of Duglass Daill,
I afft have heard of thee.'
7 'What is yer name, ye lovely dame?
For a lady I trou ye be;'
'I am called Mary, Dem Elefond,
Did ye never hear of me?'
8 'In ye be Mary, Dem Elefon,
As I trust well ye be,
. . .
My heart ye haa ye we.'
9 The lady was fair an rear,
The knight's heart had she;
The knight was tall an straght withall,
The lady's hart had he.
10 It fell ance upon a day
Dem Elof en thought lang,
An she is on to Willie's bour,
As fast as she could gang.
11 'Narrou is my pettecot, Willie,
It ance was saa wide,
An narrou is my stays, Willie,
Att ance wer saa wide,
An paill is my chikes, Willie,
An laigh, laigh is my pride.
12 . . .
. . .
An the knights of my father's court gat word of this,
I feer they wad gare ye diee.'
13 He touke . . .
The lady by the hand,
An they are one to gued green woud,
As fast as they coud gang.
14 It fell ance upon a day
Strong travileng came her tell,
. . .
. . .
15 'Ye take your boue on yer shoulder,
Yer arrous in yer hand,
An ye gaa farr throu green woud,
An shout some veneson.
16 'Fan ye hear me loud cray,
Bide far awaa fra me,
Bat fan ye hear me laying still
Ye may come back an see.'
17 Fan he hard her loud cray,
He bad far awaa,
Bat fan he heard her laying still
He did come an see,
An he got her
An her young son her wee.
18 He milked the goats,
An feed his young son wee,
And he made a fire of the oken speals,
An warmed his lady wee.
19 It fell ance upon a day
The lady though[t] lang:
'An ye haa any place in fair Scotland, Willie,
I wiss ye wad haa me hame.'
20 '. . .
I ha lands an reants saa friee,
The bonny lands of Duglass Daill,
They a' lay bread an friee.'
21 He's taen the knight-bairn in his arms,
His lady by the hand,
An he is out throu gued green woud,
As fast as they coud gang.
22 . . .
. . .
Till they came to a maid kepping her goats,
. . .
23 'Halle, ye maid,
For a maid ye seem to be;
Will ye live your goats kepping
An goo we me?
24 'I cannot live my father, I canno live my midder,
Nor yet my brethren three;
I cannot live my goats kepping,
An goo along we the.
25 'Fatt is your name, ye lovely dame?
For a lady I am shour ye be;'
'I am called Mary, Dem Elifond,
Did ye never hear of me?'
26 If ye be Mary, Dem Elifond,
As I trust well ye be,
I will live my goats kepping
An goo along we the.
27 'For I will live my father, an I ill live my mother,
An my brothers three,
An I will live my goats,
An go along we thee.'
28 The maid touke the knight-bairn in her ar[m]s,
An his lady took he,
An they are to gued ship-bourd,
And took God to be ther foresteed, an didne fear to droun.
29 An they landed att Duglas Dalle,
Far the lands was braid an frie,
An the knight-bairn was Black Sir James of Duglas Dall,
An a gallant knight was hee.
Written, like all the other pieces in the collection, without division into stanzas or verses.
23. Demefon; contracted at the edge.
93. was tell.
112. Read side?
142. Perhaps her tee.